The present invention relates to bowling equipment and more particularly relates to a "kicker wheel" roller assembly for an automatic bowling ball return mechanism wherein the contact surface of the roller assembly is replaceable.
Many of the ball returns mechanisms used in commercial bowling houses include a rotating, kicker wheel roller assembly which engages a bowling ball as it leaves the pit and directs it onto the ball track of the return. These kicker wheel roller assemblies are of unitary construction and are formed of a contact surface of a rubber or other suitable elastomeric resilient friction material which is bonded or otherwise permanently affixed to a hub portion. As known, the contact surface of the kicker wheel wears relatively quickly and the entire wheel assembly has to be replaced at frequent intervals. Although the cost of an individual kicker wheel assembly is small when compared to the initial cost of the return mechanism, itself, the total cost of the large number of replacement wheel assemblies which are normally required over any substained period quickly becomes a substantial consideration in a highly competitive business where even small savings in maintenance and operating costs may be the difference between profit or loss for a particular bowling operation.